discovery of Guiana by the said river of Amazons, passed into Spain, and
there obtained a patent of the king for the invasion and conquest, but
died by sea about the islands; and his fleet being severed by tempest,
the action for that time proceeded not. Diego Ordas followed the
enterprise, and departed Spain with 600 soldiers and thirty horse. Who,
arriving on the coast of Guiana, was slain in a mutiny, with the most
part of such as favoured him, as also of the rebellious part, insomuch
as his ships perished and few or none returned; neither was it certainly
known what became of the said Ordas until Berreo found the anchor of his
ship in the river of Orenoque; but it was supposed, and so it is written
by Lopez, that he perished on the seas, and of other writers diversely
conceived and reported. And hereof it came that Martinez entered so far
within the land, and arrived at that city of Inga the emperor; for it
chanced that while Ordas with his army rested at the port of Morequito
(who was either the first or second that attempted Guiana), by some
negligence the whole store of powder provided for the service was set
on fire, and Martinez, having the chief charge, was condemned by the
General Ordas to be executed forthwith. Martinez, being much favoured by
the soldiers, had all the means possible procured for his life; but it
could not be obtained in other sort than this, that he should be set
into a canoa alone, without any victual, only with his arms, and so
turned loose into the great river. But it pleased God that the canoa was
carried down the stream, and certain of the Guianians met it the same
evening; and, having not at any time seen any Christian nor any man of
that colour, they carried Martinez into the land to be wondered at, and
so from town to town, until he came to the great city of Manoa, the seat
and residence of Inga the emperor. The emperor, after he had beheld him,
knew him to be a Christian, for it was not long before that his brethren
Guascar and Atabalipa were vanquished by the Spaniards in Peru: and
caused him to be lodged in his palace, and well entertained. He lived